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Sermon preached on Revelation 14:1-13 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 04/06/2025 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
We continue today in the central vision of Revelation, the seven-scene interlude in chapters 12 through 15. Next week we will study the final two scenes that describe the final day of judgment and the victory celebration. Two weeks ago we studied the first scene which began with the birth of Christ and the dragon who represented Satan unsuccessfully trying to devour him. Instead, Christ’s death and resurrection and ascension gave a death blow to Satan, casting him out of heaven and down to earth, where now has been making war on the saints for a short time. Last week we studied the next two scenes, where we saw how the dragon is currently making war on the saints through two beasts he has raised up on earth. The first beast was pictured as a fraudulent Christ. The second beast was pictured as a false prophet as if coming in the power of the Holy Spirit. This unholy trio was pictured as a counterfeit trinity.
Last chapter really described a sobering picture of our current situation as Christians here on earth. Satan has brought his antichrist, spirit of lawlessness to bear on this world, influencing various world powers against us. Satan is using such powers to persecute Christians, to ostracize us from society and even kill us. At the same time, he is deceiving the rest of the world to false religion. We saw that mark of the beast that symbolically described how the reprobate will give ultimate and final allegiance to Satan’s false Christ and fake religion. We saw how the Christian will need endurance, faith, and wisdom to discern the lies and stand in the truth of Christ Jesus.
As we studied those first three scenes, with the dragon, and the beast, and the false prophet, it would be tempting to despair at the very real and present danger before us as the saints of the Lord. Recall, Daniel basically received this same vision in Daniel 7 and it greatly alarmed him. Satan is powerfully warring against us. Yet, today we will study the next two scenes and get some reassuring perspective. What a contrast these two scenes are from the last two! While Satan makes war on us, we also see a vision of the exalted victory the church has because of the blood of the Lamb. Christians are already exalted and victorious in the Lamb, sealed and protected as the church of Jesus Christ. While Satan’s false prophet peddles a false Christ at the threat of death to whomever would resist, we hear instead this three-fold angelic declaration that the judgment of God is at hand for all who would trust in Satan’s lies. Here the counterfeit trinity is exposed and condemned by the true Trinity of God, the Lamb, and the Spirit. Christians will receive blessed eternal life that no demon can take from us, even while followers of Satan’s false religion will find an eternal punishment. Today gives us the encouraging “other side of the story” after last week’s sobering chapter.
We begin then considering the next scene of this interlude in verses 1-6, a scene showing the Lamb with the 144,000 on Mount Zion. This is the fourth of the seven interlude scenes, which means this exalted picture of Jesus with his church is the center scene. We first saw the Lamb who looked as if he was back in chapter 5 where he we saw he represented Jesus. When Revelation speaks of Jesus as the Lamb it emphasizes Jesus’s victory over Satan, sin, and death which is rooted in the cross. Revelation then revealed this 144,000 in chapter 7. There was that census of the tribes of Israel that added up to 144,000, reminiscent of a military census. There they were each given a seal on their foreheads as a mark of protection, identifying them as servants of God. I argued that the 144,000 symbolically represented the church militant, the Lord’s army on earth, the true spiritual Israel. That means we today are part of this 144,000 and represented here.
So, this symbolism of the 144,000 representing the church militant suddenly reappears immediately after last chapter revealed the devil making war on us. Surely, the mark of the beast especially invited this comparison. Satan pressure people to take the evil mark of the beast on their foreheads. Then we are immediately reminded that Christians have a better mark, the seal of God on our heads. Last chapter explained that the beast’s mark was his name. Verse 1 now tells us that God’s seal on us is his name, and Jesus’ name. We don’t need the beast’s evil mark, because we are already marked, sealed, by the Lord.
So then, this time the 144,000 are seen with Jesus on Mount Zion. A common question asked here is if this is the earthly Mount Zion or the heavenly. The earthly Mount Zion is where Jerusalem and the temple was. Hebrews says the earthly Zion was modeled after a heavenly Zion. We’re not told which Zion this is, but maybe such a distinction isn’t necessary in an apocalyptic vision. We simply need to see a picture of Jesus with his church militant on Mount Zion. Scripture portrays Mount Zion as a place of refuge from enemies because God is there with his people to protect them, (e.g. Psalm 2). Similarly, the prophets foretold that Mt. Zion will be exalted on the last day in victory over the nations (e.g. Isaiah 2).
This picture is so comforting. While Satan wars against the church, we are encouraged that we are high and lifted up with Jesus at Mt. Zion. We are both persecuted but ultimately protected. The devil may try to beat us down, but Jesus vindicates us. Whatever ways Satan tries to defeat us on earth, we are ultimately victorious in Christ. It’s as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” What a climactic and encouraging passage after last week. It makes you want to just start singing praise to God.
And that’s what we see them doing here. Verse 2 describes a wondrous sound, something that sounds like roaring water and thunder while also sounding like a bunch of harps – remember we are in an apocalyptic vision here. We get to hear a new song from heaven being sung around the throne of God. We see the 144,000 are able to learn this song and join in. Remember a “new song” is a song that is made to celebrate some new redemptive act of God. We first saw a new song back in chapter 5 where they praised the Lamb for his worthiness after redeeming us. Here, the 144,000 learn such a victory song of Christ. Verse 3 says that no one can learn this song except the 144,000, which is surely the symbolic way of saying that no one other than Christians are going to be standing and singing this song at the end. If you are an unbeliever, someone who is not trusting in Christ, you won’t ever learn this song. This is surely not about academic knowledge, but experiential. You won’t truly be able to sing from the heart such a new song if you haven’t personally known Jesus as your Savior. But for us who have, no matter what trouble befalls us in this life, we can already begin to praise God for the victory we have come into through faith in Jesus.
Let us appreciate how the 144,000 are then described as virgins in verses 4-5. They’ve not defiled themselves with women but instead have followed Jesus everywhere. Don’t fall into the trap of applying this too literally and missing the continued symbolism. We’ve already said the 144,000 represents the church militant, the Christians on earth. Surely that isn’t just male virgins, but they are symbolically like male virgins. It’s like how in verse 8 it says that Babylon made all the non-Christians engage in sexual immorality. Surely, that doesn’t mean every non-Christian literally commits sexual immorality. Rather symbolically, Christians have a purity and a devotion to Jesus, like a virgin who is gifted for singleness in undistracted service to Christ. Likewise, non-Christians have a heart polluted by sin with various immoral desires, like a person who has come to enjoy a promiscuous lifestyle. This chapter uses the symbolism to paint some of the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian. Do you have a pure and devoted life to Jesus?
The 144,000 are further described in terms of being redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God. To be redeemed from mankind means we are redeemed from fallen humanity, whose name was symbolized by that imperfect number of 666. We sealed saints of Christ have been set apart from fallen mankind. To be described as first fruits explains this with that old covenant sacrifice which set apart the first fruits of the harvest as holy to the Lord. The rest of the harvest was common, like all those humans whom are not redeemed by Christ.
The final description of the 144,000 is that there is no deceit in their mouth and they are without spot. I translated verse 5 that way because that’s the language Isaiah 53 uses to describe the coming messiah as a sacrificial lamb. Christians looking to live for Jesus may share in the sufferings of the spotless Lamb of Jesus. So then, this scene of the 144,000 with Jesus greatly encourages us. We are the persecuted and humbled church but also the sealed, protected, victorious, and exalted church.
Let’s now turn to the other scene in today’s passage, verses 6-13. This proclaims messages from three angels. Each angel is seen flying overhead, each following after the previous. While they each give a different message, the theme is predominantly all about God’s imminent judgment. Next week’s passage will then immediately describe that judgment.
The first angel and message is in verses 6-7. Interestingly, his message is first described as the eternal gospel, good news, that has to be proclaimed to all the earth. We might wonder how his words of a coming judgment are good news, but we should recognize that bad news to the enemies of our faith is good news for us. It will be good when Jesus comes to conquer all his and our enemies. The first angel’s message then is this, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Before judgment day, everyone should repent and look to Jesus for salvation. All should begin to worship Jesus before it is too late. Sadly, many will only do that at the end because they have no choice. When Jesus comes back, all will be required to bow the knee to Jesus and then face the judgment seat.
The second angel’s message is there in verse 8, saying “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” This briefly announces the imminent destruction of Babylon, which will be developed further in chapters 16-18. Appreciate the symbolism again here, because at the time of Revelation, literal Babylon was already in ruins. In the Old Testament, Babylon was that godless nation which conquered and exiled God’s people. God’s people had to live amidst that pagan country hoping to one day be liberated. Since that Old Testament Babylon was long gone, this must symbolically represent any similar expression today. In our day, we can recognize the idea of Babylon is largely a global reality, where we must live in, but not of, this pagan world.
What we do learn about Babylon here besides her declared imminent fall is that she tries to coerce the people under her dominion into sin. This is similar to how Romans 1 speaks of the depravity of the wicked becoming so great that not only do the wicked practice all forms of evil, but they also commend those who do evil. We certainly see in our day ways that both culture and state has tried to turn people’s hearts into embracing sin of various sorts. The example given of sexual immorality is especially prominent in the Babylon we live in today. Though, that is but an example of all sorts of wickedness being promoted.
The third angel’s message starts in verse 9, speaking judgment on any who worships the beast and its image and receives its mark. Surely this does not speak about one-time actions as if there is one single mistake you can make that would forever cut you off from God’s grace. We know there have been people saved out of false religion who have come to trust in Jesus. But when the end has come, if your allegiance has been in Satan and his beast and not in God and his Christ, then you will face the judgment threatened here.
Indeed, how terrible that judgment will be. This will be explained further in Revelation, being described as a lake of fire. Here verses 10-11 give an initial description of this final destiny for the unsaved. They will experience an eternal conscious punishment, with no rest, day or night. This is likened to a cup of God’s wrath being poured out. Next week’s passage will develop that with the imagery of blood. Here the torment of that punishment is described with the terms of fire and sulfur which bring hellish pain to mind. The eternal smoke describes how that judgment will be an ongoing memorial against all unrighteousness, an eternal reminder of God’s justice. The false doctrine of annihilationism is hereby excluded and all the world is warned of God’s terrible wrath.
So then, three angels here have declared of the judgment of God. Let us take an application to spread this warning before it is too late. While I don’t like to be called a fire and brimstone preacher, the reason we talk about this is so we can save as many people as possible. We battle Satan, by saving people through the gospel of Jesus.
Verses 12-13 close out this scene by addressing us Christians. Verse 12 commends again the need for endurance, similar to last chapter. Christians are the saints of the Lord who seek to follow his laws and especially trust in Jesus. Babylon wants us to sin. The beast and the false prophet want us to worship what is false. We need to endure in our Christian hope even when such opposition tries to stop us.
Verse 13 reinforces this with a word from heaven about the blessing we have as Christians, even if when we die in the Lord. That word from heaven is affirmed by the Holy Spirit who closes out this scene saying, “Blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” The Holy Spirit basically says a hearty “Amen” that we Christians who endure in faith will receive an eternal reward. While we can’t take any possessions with us when we die, our good works will follow us into eternity. The blessedness of our final destiny stands in contrast to the what happens to the wicked.
I love that this scene ends with this word from the Holy Spirit. We’ve not heard the Spirit explicitly referenced by name since chapter 4. But here, after last chapter’s unholy trinity, we have God, the Lamb, and the Spirit speak against them. The true Trinity clearly stands as the one God worthy of our worship, allegiance, obedience, and trust.
Trinity Presbyterian Church, last week’s passage left us with the sobering truth of the opposition we will face in this world. Today’s passage gives us great encouragement in the hope of God’s great victory over these enemies. Next week we will finish this interlude to see the rest of the story. The oppression of the dragon seen in the first three scenes is going to end, fully and finally. The victory and judgment revealed here is going to be realized next time in the last two scenes, and such will endure forever and ever. Let us have faith, hope, and godliness while we await that day to come.
Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
